For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues.  They encircle me with words of hate,and attack me without cause.  In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.   So they reward me evil for good,and hatred for my love.

Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.  When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin!

May his days be few; may another take his office!

May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow!

May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!

May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!

Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children!

May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation!

May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out! Let them be before the LORD continually,that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth! 

-Psalm 109:1-15 (ESV)

From (RNS):

Is it okay to ask God to do harm to another person? The theology of such “imprecatory prayer” may be a matter of debate, but a Dallas judge has ruled it is legal, at least as long as no one is actually threatened or harmed.

District Court Judge Martin Hoffman on Monday (April 2) dismissed a lawsuit brought by Mikey Weinstein against a former Navy chaplain who he said used “curse” prayers like those in Psalm 109 to incite others to harm the Jewish agnostic and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and his family.

Hoffman said there was no evidence that the prayers by Gordon Klingenschmitt, who had been endorsed for the Navy chaplaincy by the Dallas-based Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches, were connected to threats made against Weinstein and his family or damage done to his property.

<Read the whole RNS article>

Response: This case brings mixed emotions for me.

First of all. I believe the judge’s ruling is correct in this case. The chaplain was not calling for others to attack Weinstein and undoubtedly would not support those who did threaten his family. Also, Weinstein is entirely wrong in saying that imprecatory prayers, based upon Psalm 109, are the same thing as a Muslim Fatwa. The prayer is calling for God to do something not calling on fellow believers to harm Weinstein or his family.

Secondly. The content of prayers should be Constitutionally protected. Weinstein says that he will appeal the decision. Since any ruling against imprecatory prayers would put our religious freedoms in jeopardy we will be watching for any further developments in this case..

Thirdly. From a Christian theological perspective I do not like imprecatory prayers. Based upon the teaching of Jesus, I believe that Christians should try to love their enemies and do good to them. That would include praying for them and not against. I do believe it is acceptable to pray against the causes of our enemies but that is entirely different.

Finally. The folks who threatened Weinstein and his family and damaged their property are not following the teachings of Jesus and should be condemned by all Christian leaders.           *Top

Related Posts?:

1. -Can Someone Really Sue to Stop Another’s Prayers? Yep, Guess So!
2. -Are ‘Imprecatory Prayers’ Justified?

     ( Getty Images via @daylife)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry took time out from his busy presidential campaign in South Carolina to attend a prayer event. While there, without any fanfare or introduction he took the stage at the large prayer gathering called "The Response" in Greenville, S.C. and prayed for President Obama and his family:

“Perry led a prayer in which he asked God to grant safety to "our president" and his family. He also said that "we pray that you light his way" in dealing with national issues.”

Response: We all should be praying for our President and his family regardless of what we think about his policies and politics. It would be good if he did receive some ‘light’ from above on how to deal with the problems facing our nation right now and for the whole year of 2012 while he is President.            *Top

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                                         (Image via Wikipedia)

Today (Tuesday 1/17) the US Supreme Court declined to hear a case coming from the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Appeals Court had ruled in a 2-1 panel decision last October in Joyner v. Forsyth County (North Carolina) that public legislative meetings could not begin with prayers in the “name of Jesus.” Therefore, the ruling stands within the jurisdiction of the 4th circuit.

Here’s a link to our post on the original case: -U.S. Circuit Court: Prayers ‘In Jesus Name’ are Unconstitutional

Response: It is a real disappointment that SCOTUS did not pick up this case and make a definitive ruling. This leaves the country legally divided over this prayer issue.

Meanwhile, Christian prayers are now limited in public forums within the jurisdiction of the 4th circuit which includes the states of Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The rest of the country should not be affected by this unfortunate ruling.

Congress is Constitutionally forbidden from making laws concerning religion but the 4th Circuit has in effect made a new law by putting the government in charge of deciding what prayers are acceptable and which ones aren’t –what is ‘sectarian’ and therefore offensive and what is not.

If a Muslim Imam was invited to say a prayer before a public legislative meeting in the 4th Circuit area would he be free to address his prayers to ‘Allah’ rather than God? The keepers of ‘political correctness’ would probably rule in the affirmative since ‘Allah’ is merely the Arabic form of God. Yet such a prayer would be just as sectarian as Christian prayers in Jesus name and offensive to many more for sure.

What government agency will now be in charge of determining what names for God are acceptable and which ones aren’t? So far only Christian prayers in ‘Jesus name’ have specifically been referenced in the ruling for censorship.                *Top

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The International House of Pancakes is suing the International House of Prayer over using the acronym IHOP which the restaurant chain says it has a registered trademark for.

The International House of Prayer began 10 years ago in Kansas City, Mo. under the leadership of Pastor Mike Bickle. The ministry promotes continuous 24 hour prayer and has a major ministry to youth and college students all across America and provides training for the ministry.

The main goal of the IHOP ministry is to usher in a new Awakening or revival for America and to pray for an on-going harvest and revival all around the world. The ministry also has a training school for the ministry at their KC headquarters.

A spokesman for the restaurant chain says that the suit was brought on because of the increasing visibility of the ministry:

"We are compelled to protect the 350 small-business owners who own IHOP franchises and the IHOP good name that’s been around for 52 years."

Response: Protecting their ‘good name’ is the issue? What, there is something ‘bad’ about being mixed up or associated with group of Christians promoting prayer and revival?

Pancakes and prayer are different enough that it is really hard to see how the two organizations would ever get confused with one another. The lawsuit is petty for sure and I fail to see how it is going to bring the chain any kind of good PR.

In fact, exactly the opposite is true. Before it is over, Pastors and Christian ministries may end up going to Denny’s instead. Also, you can probably say good-by to hosting any more prayer breakfasts.

The restaurant chain complains that the prayer ministry is serving food. Since when does a snack bar and a school cafeteria on a ministry college campus ever qualify as any kind of competition to restaurant? Not any I have ever eaten at except maybe at Biola University –they actually serve real food there.

Good luck IHOP but I will be supporting and praying for the other IHOP which is exactly what they promote after all.             *Top of the Blog

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In May, a teacher and her students were prohibited by the police from praying privately on the front steps of the Supreme Court. Here’s an account of the incident from The Christian Post:

“Maureen Rigo is a teacher at Wickenburg Christian Academy, a nearly 20-year-old school that provides Christ-centered education and child care to students from preschool to eighth grade. She and a group of 10 students and three parents traveled to Washington, D.C., the week of May 3-7 on a Christian Discoveries study tour.

On May 5, the group took pictures on the front steps of the Supreme Court and then gathered off to the side, at the top of the bottom level of steps to pray. They stood in a circle, bowed their heads and began praying on a conversational level when an officer stopped them.

He told Rigo, “Ma’am, I’m not going to tell you that you can’t pray, but you can’t do it here. Please go somewhere else,” as reported by SonoranNews.com. She asked, “Since when?” And he replied, “This week.”

They moved to the street level and prayed on the sidewalk.”

Response: Another situation where folks were prohibited from praying in public. Where is this coming from? Is this now a government policy or merely an incident caused by some over-zealous cop?

According to the article, The teacher and the Alliance Defense Fund have written a letter to Supreme Court officials to find out if this is an official policy or what. Over the years many Christians have prayed for America on government land and in government facilities. Now is this no longer allowed? If so under whose orders?

It is rather incredible that this should happen on the steps of the US Supreme Court –the very court that is suppose to be there to protect the rights and freedoms of the people. *Top of the Blog

Related articles by Zemanta

• EXCLUSIVE: Students Told Prayer Illegal at Court (foxnews.com)
• Students ordered not to pray near Supreme Court (wdtprs.com)
• Diversity Police Strike Again: Students Ordered to Stop Praying Outside Supreme Court Building (beliefnet.com)
• Police: No Praying Allowed in Front of US Supreme Court Building (dakotavoice.com)

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An Incredible story. Hundreds had been searching for the missing 11 year old girl for over 4 days. James King credits God for help in with finding the girl who has an autism-related disorder:

"He [God] directed my path," volunteer searcher James King told "Good Morning America" today. "When you’re in a swamp, there’s no good-looking way. He led me directly to her. … I would be praying and calling out Scriptures and at one point I called out, ‘Nadia,’ and I heard, ‘What?’

"That’s a huge swamp. It was strictly the Lord. There was no mathematical calculations. It was the Holy Spirit directing me to where he knew she was the whole time," he said.

Response: Prayer still works in spite of all detractors who want to blame God for everything or nothing. After watching the video I found it to be a credible and inspirational story. One to be shared. James King doesn’t come across as some kind of ‘religious nut’ but as a regular Christian with a deeply held faith in God and His Holy Spirit. Praise God!            *Top

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According to Doug Clark, a spokesman for the national SYATP 2009 organization the theme for this year’s observance-= "Engage: Go and pray"- is taken from II Kings 22:

“…it’s a great story to look up and…to refresh and build your vision for this generation, because Josiah, the king of Israel, was 16 years old when he began experiencing an awakening in his own life. And that led to him being part of one of the greatest revivals and awakenings in the Old Testament…."

Response: What a great event and one that can help to change the spiritual climate on school campuses all across America. This is a ‘student-led’ movement that is allowed through the equal access laws in this country. Contrary to popular belief, while ‘official school prayers’ have been banned in American schools, students are still free to pray on their own at any time.    *Top

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